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Mark Woodland

@MarkAWoodland

Aug 20 • 13 tweets • 4 min read • Read on X

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Gratitude isn't "feel-good fluff."

Andrew Huberman just revealed how it calms anxiety & rewires your brain and body—as powerfully as medicine or exercise.

All it takes is minutes a week.

Here’s the neuroscience & how to practice gratitude the right way:

First, forget everything you think you know about gratitude practices.

Writing lists of things you're thankful for?

Counting your blessings?

But brain scans show that barely moves the needle.

The real practice looks totally different and its effects are far deeper:

Researchers found gratitude lights up brain areas that decide how we interpret life.

The medial prefrontal cortex + anterior cingulate cortex don't just process feelings, they tilt experiences toward meaning and positivity.

But here's what shocked scientists:

Receiving gratitude activates these circuits far more than giving it.

In one study, hearing a genuine thank-you lit up the brain.

The person writing showed much less activation.

This led to an even bigger discovery:

You don't need someone to thank you directly.

Watching others receive help triggers the same circuits.

Your brain treats witnessed gratitude as if it happened to you.

The mechanism behind this is fascinating:

That's because of "theory of mind."

Your brain can step into someone else's shoes.

When you connect with another person's story of being helped, your circuits mirror theirs.

Story isn't entertainment, it's neuroscience.

One Cell Reports study proved it:

People listening to the same story on different days, in different rooms showed synchronised heart rates.

Narrative literally aligns physiology.

Here's what regular gratitude practice does:

• Calms the amygdala (fear)
• Lowers inflammation (TNF-alpha, IL-6)
• Boosts serotonin (contentment)
• Strengthens motivation circuits

All measurable in the lab.

The protocol is shockingly simple:

Pick one story where you (or someone else) received genuine help.

Use the same story each time, don't keep switching.

Write 3–4 bullet reminders.
Spend 1–5 minutes feeling into it.
Repeat 3x/week, any time of day.

Why is this so effective?

Because stories trigger emotional + social circuits together.

Lists only activate analytical thought.

It's the emotion that drives the brain chemistry shift.

And it doesn't take long.

Studies show after just 3 weeks of practice:

• Fear and anxiety circuits weaken
• Pro-social and motivation networks strengthen

These aren't mood boosts, they're structural brain changes.

Gratitude isn't fluff.

It's one of the most science-backed tools we have to rewire the brain, comparable to medicine or exercise.

And the practice is simple:

One story. A few minutes. Repeated weekly.

That's the power of gratitude.

Video/Image Credit:
The Science of Gratitude & How to Build a Gratitude Practice

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More from @MarkAWoodland

Mark Woodland

@MarkAWoodland

Aug 12

Ex-Navy SEAL David Goggins recently revealed the exact moment winners are created.

It's when you meet someone who makes your best effort look weak.

You have 2 choices in that moment.

Here's the decision that separates greatness from mediocrity:

Goggins started with a backstory:

In the SEALs, he once became the sole navigator for missions in Iraq’s red zone.

That success made him a target.

One teammate started a rumour that he froze in a firefight.

The truth? They’d never even been in one together...

It's the "crabs in a bucket" mentality.

Put a dozen crabs together and one will try to climb out.

The rest will claw it back down, not to survive, but to keep it from escaping.

Rogan agreed:

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Mark Woodland

@MarkAWoodland

Aug 10

This ONE factor could make or break your results.

Behavioural scientist Vanessa Van shared a 58,000-hour study that uncovered it.

It’s not your skills, your boss, or how hard you work.

Here's the hidden factor shaping your success:

This study tracked employees for 58,000 working hours.

The question was simple: is performance contagious?

Could just sitting near certain people actually change your results?

The results?

Sit within 25 feet of a high performer → your performance improves by 15%.

Sit within 25 feet of a low performer → your performance drops by 30%.

Notice the pattern?

Read 15 tweets

Mark Woodland

@MarkAWoodland

Aug 1

You're not unhappy because of your job, your money, or your circumstances.

You're trapped in 3 mental illusions and you don't even know it.

Philosopher Alan Watts saw through them decades ago.

Here's the wake-up call you need to break free:

Alan Watts was a philosopher who decoded ancient Eastern wisdom for the modern world.

His talks drew millions who felt trapped in daily life.

What he revealed about our hidden mental prisons still hits hard today:

The first illusion destroys millions of lives:

The Money Illusion

Watts put it simply: "You cannot eat money."

You could have billions in stock certificates on a desert island...

But without food, water, or companionship, you’d die rich and alone.

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Mark Woodland

@MarkAWoodland

Jul 28

This ancient Chinese fable changed how I react to everything:

Good news. Bad news. Success. Setbacks.

It’s just 150 words, but it has stuck with me for years.

If life feels heavy right now, this might bring you some peace:

It's called "The Story of the Chinese Farmer."

Alan Watts shared this tale in his university lectures across America.

The wisdom inside changed how I see everything.

Here it goes...

A Chinese farmer's horse ran away.

That evening, all his neighbours came to console him.

"We're so sorry about your horse. This is terrible!"

The farmer simply replied: "Maybe."

But the next morning brought a surprise...

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Mark Woodland

@MarkAWoodland

Jul 24

99% of parents are accidentally raising depressed adults.

Not by yelling or being too strict, but by what they do after every fight.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy calls it the most damaging parenting mistake.

Here’s what it is and how to undo it in just 15 seconds:

Picture this: It’s Sunday night.

You just cooked dinner after a draining week.

Your kid looks at the table and groans, “Chicken again? Disgusting.”

You snap.

Now they’re crying behind a slammed door and you're drowning in guilt...

Every parent has been there.

That crushing shame after you lose it.

The voice in your head saying, “I’ve messed them up forever.”

Here's what Dr. Becky says about those moments:

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Mark Woodland

@MarkAWoodland

Jul 22

We accidentally created the most depressed generation in history.

Not with screens or social media.

In his TED talk, Psychologist Peter Gray reveals what really caused this... and what we can do before it's too late...

Here's his plan to save the next generation:

For 99% of human history, kids spent their days playing freely with other children.

No adults watching. No structure. Just pure exploration.

Hunter-gatherer kids played from dawn to dusk starting at age 4.

That’s how humans are meant to grow up...

But starting around 1960, we began quietly taking that freedom away.

Not all at once, but hour by hour.

Recess shrank. Homework crept in.

And childhood became something else entirely.